The contract CFO-- big company financial management expertise on a small company budget.

Many small and medium-sized companies have a serious gap in their senior-level management accounting processes and reports. They have a bookkeeper who produces historical financial reports, and they have a CPA to handle tax matters and advise on certain accounting issues. But the management accounting functions of controller and CFO are frequently not performed.

The result is predictable. While better-organized competitors are planning and executing strategic campaigns, these smaller firms are forced to deal with cash flow problems and profitability issues. Worse yet, they're often attempting to solve critically important problems while "flying blind." They don't have an adequate grasp of their internal performance trends.

Most companies simply can't afford the cost of a full-time controller or a CFO with management accounting training and real-world experience. But without such resources it's hard for them to get out of first gear and grow into stable profitability. How can they get out of this stalemate?

Fortunately, the small to mid-size company doesn't usually need a full time controller or CFO. It is better served by scheduled reports and visits. It needs an accountant (one who is experienced in operations management and finance issues) to support its existing bookkeeping staff and guide its top management.

The Pathfinder Metrics Contract CFO program provides these essential functions on an affordable monthly basis. Our clients like the way we communicate regularly, and the way we focus on their key performance indicators. In addition, the program includes an "on-call" feature to provide support when unexpected issues arise.